


There's Somethin' 'Bout A Girl

by MyJediLife



Category: Logan Lucky (2017), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Romance, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Romance, Awkwardness, Badass Rey, Clyde Logan Needs a Hug, Clyde Logan is a Good Boyfriend, Clyde Logan is a Sweetheart, Clyde is a clueless overly tall bean, Clyde is a sweet southern gentleman, Clyde is walking Rey down the aisle, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Marriage, Mutual Pining, Oral Sex, Rey Needs A Hug, Sex, Shyness, Slow Burn, Soft Clyde Logan, Southern Gentleman Clyde Logan, Vaginal Sex, inappropriate use of a prosthetic hand
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:55:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24854935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyJediLife/pseuds/MyJediLife
Summary: It's an age old tale. Boy meets girl. Boy falls for girl. Boy walks girl down the aisle... at his brother's wedding as they serve as Best Man and Maid of Honor...Girl decides boy is overly tall, awkward and adorable. Girl flirts with boy. Boy is clueless because he thinks she is way out of his league...And then his siblings get their heads together and formulate a plan.
Relationships: Clyde Logan & Rey (Star Wars), Clyde Logan/Rey (Star Wars)
Comments: 55
Kudos: 142





	1. There's somethin bout a girl in a red sundress

**Author's Note:**

  * For [msdes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/msdes/gifts).



> Yes, yes, _I KNOW._ I have a gazillion and one WIPs. But this one just wouldn't. get. out. of. my. head... and hey, we all need more Reylogan in our lives, right?
> 
> Good thing I have a strict 'no fic left unfinished' policy.
> 
> Thanks to my beta [emkayadd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/emkayadd), and to [msdes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/msdes) (@sofondabooks on Twitter) for the prompt and the moodboard!

The day Jimmy had introduced him to Sylvia Harrison, Clyde had known that his brother and her were going to get married. It was the way they looked at each other, or perhaps the way they had those silent conversations with each other - the kind only people deeply in love had with their significant others.

He tried not to be envious of his big brother. Jimmy had always been the popular one, the football star and homecoming king.

Clyde knew he would never be that lucky. He didn't have a lot to offer a gal, anyway. He was tall, awkward as the day was long, and as far as looks went - well, Jimmy won in that department as well. 

He was just a simple, shy one armed bartender from nowhere, West Virginia. His prospects weren't exactly varied or available. 

Looking up as the door opened to admit his brother, Clyde popped the top on a cold beer for Jimmy, sliding it across the bar top to him silently.

"I dunno why I'm doin' this again," Jimmy mumbled before taking a long swallow from the bottle. "I gotta be right crazy, Clyde, gettin' married again."

Clyde just listened to Jimmy's rant, wiping the bar top off with a bar rag as he let his eyes drift around the room to make sure everyone was taken care of. When he determined they were, his eyes went back to his brother, who was still talking.

“She wants this fancy ole weddin’, Clyde, she’s makin’ us wear ties! How in the hell am I gonna get Earl and Joe Bang to wear a cotton pickin’ tie?” Jimmy took another long pull from his bottle, and Clyde wordlessly popped the top of another bottle, sliding it towards Jimmy before replying.

“I suppose ya might just ask ‘em.” One side of Clyde’s lips slid up into a half smirk, and Jimmy shook his head, pushing the now empty bottle of beer towards his little brother and grabbing the fresh one.

“This is gonna be a disaster. I love Sylvie n all, that’s fer certain. I dunno why we just can’t go to one of them JP’s ta get hitched n all. No, gotta have a damn shindig, all fancy n whatnot!” Jimmy got up, walking towards the pool tables to hustle a game of pool, and Clyde just shook his head slowly, his eyes glistening with amusement.

Shindig, indeed.

An hour later, as Jimmy was mopping the floor with Earl in a boisterous game of pool, the door opened again, and Clyde looked up to find his soon to be sister-in-law smiling at him before crossing the room. As he caught sight of the person with her - he thought his heart stopped in his chest, and the whole world slowed like one of those slow motion action scenes in a movie, complete with the sound being sucked out of the room. He never, in a million years, thought that it would happen to him - but as the woman with Sylvia raised her eyes to his and smiled at him - well, Clyde knew.

He was head over heels in love with her. There was no rescuing his heart this time. Clyde wasn’t a man to make spontaneous decisions - he liked to think things through carefully before deciding on a plan of action. His heart, though, had decided that it was taking over his brain this time, and there wasn’t anything Clyde could do to stop it.

Sylvie eyed him as she reached the bar, clearing her throat to remind Clyde she was there, and Clyde pulled his eyes away from the other woman with great difficulty to look at Sylvie. She grinned at him before saying, “Hey there, Clyde! I see Jimmy is being… Jimmy. How about two rum and cokes for me and my Maid of Honor here? Rey, this is Clyde, Jimmy’s brother. Clyde, this is Rey Sands, my best friend from college and… well, the person you’ll be walking with in the wedding.”

Surely, there was some great astronomical event happening that Clyde hadn’t read about. Some aligning of stars or constellations or some asteroid coming dangerously close to Earth and affecting the tides and making the world turn crazy, because the woman - Rey, he reminded himself - was smiling at him again, extending a delicate hand towards him for a shake.

He gulped audibly, extending his hand towards her, and hoping his palm wasn’t too sweaty as she grasped in, her small, warm fingers pressing into his skin briefly as she shook his hand.

“Pleasure to meet you, Clyde.”

Her lilting British accent caused his already non beating heart to give a twitch in his chest, reminding him that he was, indeed, still alive, and that responding to her in a polite manner like his Mommy had taught them might be wise. He opened his mouth, hoping something smooth would come out. Instead, he murmured something that sounded suspiciously like “Yeahnicetomeetyoutoo.”

His face colored as Rey laughed, throwing her head back as she did so and withdrawing her hand from his. “He is just as cute as you told me, Syl!”

….

_ He is cute, _ Rey thought to herself as she entered the Duck Tape Bar & Grill, which Sylvia had explained was owned by her soon to be brother-in-law and ‘resident tall, awkward bean of a man’.

_ “Oh, he’s completely adorable, and totally clueless as to just how adorable he is,”  _ Sylvia had explained on the drive from Yeager Airport to Boone County.  _ “He was an Army Ranger, did two tours in Iraq before a roadside bomb took his arm as he was getting ready to come home. He’s real sensitive about it. He’s got a prosthetic, but he tries to hide it behind him a lot. He’s super shy, too. Doesn’t say a lot, but when he does talk, he has something important to say. I think you’ll like him, Rey. He’s a book nerd, too. And, well, he’s adorable and… single.” _ Sylvia had looked over at her and grinned, and Rey just shook her head, looking out the window at the passing West Virginia scenery.

She had a good life in Chicago. She worked as a doctor in the emergency room, and she thrived in the chaos that lived within it. She had made some friends - mostly co-workers - and she didn’t need much more than that.

Until she walked into the Duck Tape in Boone County, West Virginia two weeks before her best friend’s wedding and laid eyes on Clyde Logan. Sylvia’s description of him had been fairly accurate, and as Rey walked away with a drink in her hand, she could still feel the press of his large, warm hand against hers, and the blush that had come onto his cheeks after his awkward, mumbled greeting made her want to giggle and kiss the red splotches away.

Rey had to admit, Sylvia’s fiance was  _ outgoing _ . Jimmy Logan could charm the pants off one of the nuns at the orphanage she grew up in back in England if he wanted to, she was certain. Her eyes kept drifting to his brother, though, and as their sister Mellie joined them for the evening, Rey could tell Clyde was definitely the quiet one of the Logan siblings.

“He’s single, ya know,” Mellie said an hour after meeting her, as Rey risked a glance over at Clyde once more. The whole wedding party - minus Jimmy’s daughter Sadie - was now gathered in the bar, all of them but Clyde sitting around two of the tables they pulled together.

Earl let out a snort at Mellie’s statement, shaking his head. “Clyde’ll always be single. He’s smarter than any of the gals in this town for sure - ‘cept for you, Sylvie, of course, no offense - and that scares ‘em. Ain’t no gal ‘round these parts want a man who’d rather read them books than go out muddin’ and drinkin’ on a Saturday night.”

Mellie just shrugged before looking at Rey once more. “The way yer lookin’ at him tells me all I need ta know. Just leave things up to me. Lemme work some Mellie magic, Dr. Sands, and I think ya and Clyde’ll be the ones gettin’ hitched soon enough.” Mellie sat back in her chair, smirking, and Rey felt like she had just been hit by some kind of brunette whirlwind, intent on destruction.

….

Clyde tried not to stare at Rey. If their Mommy had been alive and here, she would have walloped him upside the back of his head and chided him. He could hear her voice inside his head -  _ “Slim, stop yer starin’. It ain’t polite!” _

  
  


But damn if the center of his universe didn’t suddenly revolve around the gorgeous brunette woman currently sitting at a table with his siblings and friends. She looked up, her eyes meeting his, and Clyde could have sworn his heart stopped in his chest again. She gave him a smile, waving at him, and Clyde gave her a small smile back, nodding at her as he felt his face grow as red as a cherry. She stood - and Clyde swore she was floating like the angel he was  _ convinced _ she was as she made her way to the bar.

“So, Sylvia tells me we’re walking down the aisle together!” Rey quipped, and Clyde just about choked as he looked at her.

_ I wish I was walking you down the aisle for a different reason,  _ Clyde thought to himself as his face went even more red and he nodded at Rey before answering her. “Yes ma’am, sounds that way ta me,” Clyde said, wishing he could be as smooth as his brother when talking to women. Instead, he fumbled through every interaction with them, knowing that they would walk away to whisper to their friends about the one-armed bartender who could barely string a sentence together.

Rey let out a laugh, and Clyde could have sworn he heard music as she did so.

“Please, call me Rey. Your sister tells me you like to read?” Rey slid onto a bar stool, her luminous hazel eyes capturing his eyes once more.

Clyde nodded, wiping a glass and placing it back in its spot behind the bar. “That I do. If it catches my attention on the first page, I read it. How ‘bout you? Ya read much?”

Rey nodded, and Clyde noticed her smile went to her eyes, too. She leaned in and asked in a whisper, “Do you read the last page to see what happens before you read it?”

Clyde’s eyes widened in abject horror as he let his lips lift into a full on smile before leaning in to whisper back, “Do I look like that kinda man, Miss Rey?”

Rey let out another melodic laugh before tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “No, you don’t. I don’t like knowing what the future holds. It helps keep the adventure of life - even fictional lives - fun for me, you know?”

Clyde nodded, grabbing a clean bar rag to wipe off a sticky spot from the well worn wooden bar top.

“Sylvie said you served in the Army. Thank you for your service.”

Clyde nodded, his eyes leaving hers to look down, hoping she didn’t see the sadness that appeared in his eyes as he remembered his brothers that didn’t make it home. “Thank ya. I was just doin’ my part.”

“Well, doing your part kept everyone safe here at home.” Rey said gently, watching as Clyde nodded his head, his long hair hiding his face from her. “You’re brave, you know. I couldn’t do that - run into a war zone to protect people’s freedom.”

“Wasn’t nothin’, really,” Clyde mumbled, his eyes still cast downward and his hair obscuring his face.

Something inside her pushed her to reach out, putting her hand on his upper left arm, just above where his prosthetic arm attached. “But it was,” Rey whispered, and as Clyde’s eyes came up to meet hers, she smiled at him. “See you at the bonfire later? Sylvia said something about s’mores, and I’ll have you know - this British lass makes the best tasting s’mores ever!”

Clyde nodded, watching as she made her way back to the table, his skin still tingling from where she had graced him with a touch, and his heart beating only for her now.

….

Rey sat on a lawn chair in Jimmy and Sylvia’s back yard, watching Jimmy and Joe Bang playing an aggressive game of horseshoes as the smoke from the fire filled the air with its comforting scent. She had eaten her fill of s’mores, and was in a sleepy fugue state when she noticed Clyde, sitting by himself on the back porch swing.

Standing, she gave a smile to Sylvia before making her way to the porch, smiling at Clyde before pointing to the unoccupied spot beside him. “That spot taken?”

“Reckon not,” Clyde said, watching as her slender frame settled onto the swing next to him. “Ya enjoyin’ yerself?” He fought against his own body, which was almost demanding he lean closer to her, or even take her small hand in his, twining his fingers through hers.

“Yes,” Rey answered quickly. “I love the scenery around here,” she said, looking into his eyes and smiling.

“Ain’t mucha nothin’ ‘round these parts, unless ya like a whole lotta nuthin’.” Clyde obviously didn’t pick up on her subtle flirtation, and Rey wanted to sigh in frustration.

“Yeah, well, I already like what I see. I’m glad Sylvia invited me to come a few weeks early to do some clinics with her.” Rey let out a content sigh, watching the game of horseshoes continue on as Mellie fussed with Sylvia’s hair as they discussed how she would want it done for the ceremony.

“Oh, yeah. Sylvie said she knew ya from college. Are ya in the medical field as well?” Clyde used his legs to set the swing rocking, and Rey let out an appreciative hum.

“I am. I’m an emergency room physician. I work in a hospital in Chicago.”

“Oh, well, then thank ya for the work ya do, as well. Yer the real hero here, I dare say.” Clyde knew in that moment that he was screwed. What would a smart, beautiful woman want with a simple man like him? He had no chance with her, no place in her world at all.

“Thank you. I love what I do.” Rey said, enjoying the feeling of the cooler night air against her skin as they rocked together in an easy silence. It was so comfortable, in fact, that when Rey’s eyes started to drift shut she moved closer to Clyde, settling her head against his shoulder and promptly falling asleep.

By the fire, Mellie poked Sylvia, trying not to be obvious as she motioned towards the porch, where she had spotted her big brother swinging the porch swing gently, Rey sleeping on his shoulder as he watched over her like she was porcelain that would crack at any moment.

“If I know my brother, he’s sitting there thinkin’ he ain’t good for her, and that she couldn’t possibly see anythin’ in him,” Mellie said, and Sylvie nodded in agreement. “You and Rey are workin’ the clinic the next week or so, right?” Sylvie nodded, and Mellie just grinned, a plan already forming in her head. “I got an idea…”


	2. This Kiss, This Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Earl took a moment to pipe up, “Clyde ain’t dumb, Mellie. He’s gonna figger it all out.”
> 
> Mellie just shrugged her shoulders, a smile firmly placed on her lips. “He’ll forgive me when they’re getting hitched. Just ya watch n see. Mellie magic is a sure thing.”

“So, how we gonna go ‘bout this plan a yers, Mel?” Jimmy’s eyes went up to the porch, watching as Clyde kept the swing rocking gently, Rey still sleeping peacefully with her head on his shoulder. He looked like a man crazy in love to JImmy - which was something new for his little brother. Clyde was never the type to date a lot, even when the girls in his class would flirt and make moon eyes at him. They were sitting around the firepit now, and Mellie had that look in her eye - she had something in that devious mind of hers.

“Well, y’all know Rey is an ER doc up there in Chicago, n she’s gonna help Sylvie out in the Urgent Care for a week or so. Clyde needs to have a little accident, ya see. We get him to the Urgent Care, maybe stop n pick up a bouquet a flowers n all… it’s perfect. Sparks are gonna fly more’n they already are!”

Earl took a moment to pipe up, “Clyde ain’t dumb, Mellie. He’s gonna figger it all out.”

Mellie just shrugged her shoulders, a smile firmly placed on her lips. “He’ll forgive me when they’re getting hitched. Just ya watch n see. Mellie magic is a sure thing.”

….

Clyde had a place for everything, and everything should always be in that place. They’d rammed that into his head in the Army, and it carried over to his civilian life. So, when a knife that should have been in its place fell off the bar and sank deep into his leg on its trip towards the floor, the first thing Clyde thought was, _How in the hell did that knife get there?_

He’d been finding things out of place all day, starting with the water spilled on the floor. The last thing he needed was for a bar patron to slip on it and fall. Sure, his insurance for the bar would cover it and all - but he genuinely cared about everyone that walked through the doors of the Duck Tape, and he would feel guilty as hell if someone got hurt because of his negligence.

He hopped back to the office, trying to keep his leg from bleeding all over the floor, and when he reached for the first aid kit that was _always_ on a shelf above his desk… it wasn’t there. Clyde let a low groan out, muttering, “What in the hell is goin’ on around here?”

“What’s the matter, Clyde? Ya okay?” Mellie’s voice rang out, and Clyde turned around to see his little sister standing in the office doorway.

“Yeah, soon as I find the first aid kit. Damn knife fell off the bar and cut my leg. I need to butterfly it up so I can finish getting the stuff from the delivery put away ‘fore we open.”

Mellie came over to her brother, bending down to look at his leg. “I think ya need stitches, Clyde. That looks pretty deep n all. C’mon, let’s get ya over to the Urgent Care so they can get ya stitched up. N don’t even think about tellin’ me no. Our big brother is gettin’ married in a week and a half or so, n ya gotta be able to fulfill yer best man duties. We can’t have ya limpin’, now can we?”

“Guessin’ not,” Clyde finally mumbled, giving in to his sister. As he headed outside to her car, Mellie smirked before joining him, sliding into the driver’s seat and glancing into the back seat, where a bouquet of wildflowers picked by Sadie and Jimmy behind their house was nestled, tied with a simple green ribbon.

Her plan was going perfectly so far.

….

Clearly, Mellie was up to something.

Normally, his little sister shied away from blood. But today she had sashayed right into the office and examined his leg - kinda like she had expected it to happen. Clyde glanced over at Mellie as she drove, pondering just what she could be up to.

They arrived at the Urgent Care, and as they settled into a chair to fill out paperwork and wait, Clyde’s mind was whirring. It wouldn’t be the first time Mellie had come up with a scheme. At least her plans usually didn’t land him in jail - unlike Jimmy’s.

Clyde looked up as a nurse called out his name, and Mellie followed him into a room, her hands hidden behind her for some reason. When he settled into a chair, Mellie just grinned at him before thrusting a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

“Give these ta Rey when she comes in… and would ya just ask her out? There’s that nice little cafe in Madison ya could take her to, maybe after ya take her ta see a movie? Good luck!”

“Mellie Sue Logan, did ya leave that knife there so I’d cut myself… all so ya could bring me here?” Clyde’s voice was low as he spoke, clutching the bouquet clumsily in his hand. “Ya know I ain’t good…”

A knock sounded at the door, and it opened to reveal Rey, dressed in a pair of powder blue scrubs and matching lab coat, a bright yellow stethoscope perched around her neck. “Why hello there, stranger! What did you get yourself into?”

“I’ll see myself out now,” Mellie cut in, going to the door. “I’m not keen on all the blood. I’ll be waitin’ in the car, Clyde. Good luck!” Mellie winked at him before exiting the room, and Clyde felt his face color.

“Um… these are for ya…” he said after a moment of looking at her, his heart pounding in his chest. Here he was, bleeding all over her urgent care - trying to find the courage to maybe ask her out. “I…” Clyde sighed before deciding to just go for it.

“Yer beautiful n smart n everythin’ I think I might want in a gal… aw, hell. I can butterfly this up myself. Mellie done set us up, ya see. She knows I gotta thing fer ya and she thinks ya might even say yes if I asked ya out. I’ll just see myself out, thanks…” He thrust the flowers towards Rey before starting towards the door after she took them, not brave enough to look at her.

He always hated seeing pity and rejection in a gal’s eyes when she looked at him.

“Yes,” Rey said, and Clyde turned as his hand reached for the door to exit the room. His eyes came up to hers, and Rey found herself blushing, a smile on her lips. “If you were to ask me out, I would say yes,” she clarified, watching his face color more as he looked at her.

“Oh… ya… ya would?” Clyde’s voice was filled with disbelief as he watched her nod her head. He gulped, and then said, “Well… would ya like to go see a movie and get some dinner with me tonight then?”

“I would like that. Very much. Now, please… sit down, Clyde. You’re bleeding all over your sock and shoe.”

Nodding slowly, his head still whirling in disbelief that this beautiful goddess had agreed to go on a date with him, Clyde shuffled to the tiny looking plastic chair before settling onto it, listening to it groan at his weight.

“Let’s have a look, shall we?” Rey said, smiling softly at him.

Her hands were gentle as she examined the deep cut the knife had made, and as she cleaned it, her eyes looked up to find Clyde watching her quietly. Her breath caught in her throat, because his eyes were so expressive - and what she saw in them made her want to throw herself into his arms and kiss him.

Rey wasn’t the type of person to fall in love easily. Her life experiences had shown her that love never lasted, that something always tore it away from you. Looking in Clyde’s eyes, though, Rey saw something she hadn’t before - a genuine desire to take care of her, to give her the love she deserved.

Finally remembering to breathe, Rey smiled and pulled her eyes away from his.

“Looks like you’ll need a few stitches. I’ll go grab my suture kit and the lidocaine and be right back, okay?” Her eyes met his again, and Clyde nodded.

“Sure thing. I ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

Somehow, Rey knew he wasn’t just talking about leaving the clinic before getting stitched up.

….

“Yer wearin’ that?” Mellie asked as Clyde walked into the living room later that night. He didn’t remember asking her to help him prepare for his date with Rey - yet here she was.

Maybe he should consider changing the locks on his house.

“Look, Clyde, Rey ain’t some country gal like we got here in Boone. She’s a city gal, and smart as a whip. Ya gotta look… I dunno. Ya ain’t wearin’ that. Put on yer church clothes. And comb yer damn hair, would ya?”

Clyde sighed before turning and heading back into his bedroom. The last time he had worn his church clothes had been at Easter, the one day a year that Mellie insisted they attend a service at Madison Baptist Church.

Finally, after letting Mellie fuss over him for a good twenty minutes, Clyde pulled up in front of Jimmy and Sylvie’s house. Rey was staying in their spare bedroom while she was visiting. Sighing, Clyde steeled himself for the fuss he was certain Jimmy and Sylvie would put up - but he was instantly relieved when he saw Rey step onto the porch, dressed in a red sundress that made his heart stop in his chest.

She gave him a little wave, beaming at him as she came down the steps, and Clyde had to remember how to breathe as he got out of his car and went around it to open the passenger door for her.

She stopped for a moment and looked at him, still beaming as she shook her head slightly. “Such a gentleman,” she remarked lightly, standing on tiptoe to kiss his cheek lightly. Clyde blushed, finally remembering to breathe as he stammered, “Yes, ma’am.”

He mentally berated himself all the way around the back of the car - this was exactly why he didn’t have a significant other in his life. What kind of girl would want a one-armed, shy and awkward bar owner for a life partner? None that he could think of - which is why he was still single.

Then he remembered that Rey’s sweet lips had touched his cheek, and his face got even redder - because she was some kind of angel - he had been certain of that the moment he saw her walking in the door of the Duck Tape.

“You look nice,” Rey remarked as he slid behind the wheel, biting back a smirk at the color on Clyde’s cheeks. His hair was slightly messy, revealing a tiny bit of his ear, and she found herself wondering if he enjoyed having them nibbled on.

“Thank ya. You… ya look like an angel. Still findin’ it hard ta believe ya wanted ta go on a date with me.” Clyde tried to concentrate on driving, but his eyes kept going to Rey, who was chatting away in the seat beside him.

They arrived at the movie theater, and he was happy that she chose an action movie as opposed to a romantic comedy or horror film. They sat in the dark theater, Clyde trying to stay calm as her hand reached out to grasp his, her fingers threading into his perfectly.

Surely he had died and gone to heaven. There was no other reason that someone as beautiful as Rey would have agreed to go out with him, and would willingly hold his hand.

If this was heaven, then he would willingly stay right here for eternity, watching the same movie over and over again, just so he could feel her hand in his.

Far too soon the movie was over, and they stepped out into the night air. Rey’s hand was still in his as they walked back to the car, and she leaned into his shoulder slightly, smiling at him as he looked down at her.

“Penny for your thoughts?” she asked, his eyes once more causing her heart to beat faster in her chest.

“I was thinkin’ that surely this was heaven, and that I got one of tha prettiest angels holdin’ my hand right now,” Clyde mumbled, his face coloring again. He wasn’t the kind of man to wax poetic, but he wanted Rey to know how beautiful he thought she was. “Are ya hungry?”

“Starving,” Rey remarked, her face colored now at Clyde’s compliment.

Rey felt the loss of his hand in hers as he started his car, and when he pulled up to a tiny, welcoming-looking cafe and came around to open her door, she grabbed his hand once more as soon as she was standing on the sidewalk.

The inside of the cafe was as welcoming as the outside, with warm wood tones and a waitress who exuded southern hospitality. It was late, and they had the whole cafe to themselves. They both ordered chicken and dumplings and an iced tea, and Clyde smirked as Rey asked for it without sugar.

“Yer lucky they ain’t askin’ us ta leave. Good Southern gals always drink their tea sweet. If they like it plain, clearly there’s somethin’ wrong with ‘em… or they ain’t from around these parts.”

Rey laughed, and Clyde noticed that she laughed with her whole body, and he thought it was the most beautiful sound on Earth, like a chorus of angels. “Well, I am definitely not from around here, so I guess they have me pegged, huh?”

“I reckon so,” Clyde said, letting one side of his lips turn upwards in a smile.

Their food arrived quickly, and they ate in a companionable silence, Rey finally breaking it as she pushed her plate aside. “Is your family always so…” she let her voice trail off, clearly afraid of offending him.

“Meddlin’? Sneaky? Connivin’? Maybe this time they were alright doin’ it. I mean…” Clyde stopped, his face coloring as he thought about a way to say what he wanted without sounding like a man who was obsessed with a beautiful woman.

He didn’t want to scare Rey off.

“Say what you were going to say, Clyde. Please.” Rey was looking at him so earnestly that Clyde didn’t hesitate to speak again.

“If they didn’t meddle, I wouldn’t be sittin’ across from the prettiest woman I ever did see right now.”

….

Rey was holding his hand again as they walked out to his car, and Clyde’s heart was pounding in his chest, his head whirling. He slid behind the wheel once more after helping Rey in and closing her door, and he sighed happily when she slid across the bench seat and laid her head against his shoulder while he drove them back towards Jimmy and Sylvia’s house.

He hummed along to the radio as he drove, not seeing any reason to talk. It was just comfortable, being with Rey. He didn’t have to fill in the silence, because it wasn’t awkward. Rey let out a giggle at something, and Clyde looked down at her, cocking an eyebrow at her curiously.

“I was just giggling at the fact that your grocery store is called the Grocery Castle. Shouldn’t it look like a castle, and maybe the staff should all wear medieval dress? ‘Jousting in aisle five, Ladies and Gentleman, bring the whole family this Saturday to see if Dan the cashier can unhorse Becky from the bakery’…”

Clyde snorted, nodding his head. “That’d be a sight ta see fer sure. Ain’t nothin’ that excitin’ ever happen in these parts.”

Rey laughed again before remarking, “You’re really cute, you know that? And you’re a gentleman. Not many of them exist anymore. I just wonder, though… were you adopted or something? Because Jimmy is pretty much the antithesis of you.”

Clyde shook his head, chuckling softly. “Nah. Jimmy, ya see, he was the athlete n the popular one. He played football real good, was gettin’ scouted by colleges, even. Then he blew out his knee… but he did end up marryin’ the Homecomin’ Queen and havin’ Sadie with her. Then, there’s my little sister. She’s a whirlwind, that one, but I’m sure ya figgered that out by now. That leaves me. I never talk much, n I like ta read n all. Guess gals kinda just looked past me. And now, with, well… my _injury_ … I just gave up. I got my bar n my books n my family. That’s all I need.”

“Well… I like you, Clyde. You’re handsome, polite, well read and intelligent. That speaks to me deeply.”

It was dark in the car, but Rey could see the blush on his face, and the tip of his ear that was peeking out from underneath his hair was absolutely _glowing_.

“I like ya too, Rey. I guess ya already knew that, though.” Clyde risked a glance over at her as they neared Jimmy and Sylvia’s house, one corner of his lips creeping upwards in a smirk.

“I kind of got that hint,” Rey smirked, reaching over to touch his cheek gently.

“Didja now?” Clyde remarked, his heart once more thrumming away in his chest, like a hummingbird beating its wings inside him. He pulled the car into Jimmy’s driveway, a sadness creeping over him as he realized their night was drawing to an end.

“I did. I have a hint for you, too, Clyde, as to how I feel about you. In case you were wondering.” Grasping his face gently and turning it towards her, Rey planted a gentle kiss on his lips, marvelling at how soft they were. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to him and letting her tongue skate over the seam of his lips, hoping he would give her permission to deepen the kiss.

Rey wasn’t normally so bold - but Clyde was different. She could feel it in her very soul.

Clyde’s arms went around her, even though he hesitated at first. What if she found his prosthetic hand disgusting? What if she wanted a man who was whole? He practically sighed into their kiss when she didn’t pull away, and her tongue running over his lips brought a moan from him, a low and throaty sound he had never made before. He opened his mouth, and their tongues danced against one another’s, her fingers carding through his hair as they kissed.

The porch light flipped on suddenly, blinding them both in its LED glare, and Rey let out a very unladylike curse as she pulled away from Clyde, her hands still buried in his silky hair. She rested her forehead against his, sighing before she said, “You know, for wanting us to end up together so badly, you would think they would leave us alone.”

Clyde blew out a long breath, bringing his fingers down to brush along her face. “Think that’s my clue ta say good night. I know yer workin’ n all, but do ya think we could do this again while yer in town? Don’t answer yet,” he murmured before kissing her again softly and turning to open his door.

Rounding the front of his car, Clyde opened Rey’s door and offered her his hand to help her out. When she was standing in front of him, she smiled before standing on tiptoes to kiss him again.

“I want to see you every night, if possible. Have a good night, Clyde. Thank you for a wonderful evening.” Rey walked up to the door and slipped inside, leaving Clyde standing in his brother’s driveway watching her like a man deeply in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! 
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr:[my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife)


	3. Would You Go With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey threw her head back and laughed as Clyde made her drink, winking at him as he slid it across the bar top to her. “How about a kiss from the bar owner, then?”
> 
> “Oh, I dunno ‘bout that… what if someone sees us? It’d be all over the county, ‘n the good ladies at tha Baptist church will have some serious words ta say ‘bout it. We’d be upsettin’ their delicate sensibilities, ya see...” Clyde stopped speaking as Rey came around the bar, grabbed his shirt, and pulled him to her for a sweet, soft kiss.
> 
> “Fuck their sensibilities. I’m not from around here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy, everyone! This week, you get 2 chapters for the price of 1!! I will have another chapter up tomorrow for y'all to enjoy!!
> 
> Thanks to the gorgeous polisher of my word turds, [LadyRhi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyRhi) for both the beta & the moodie! Give her works some love, she writes truly beautiful fics!!! <3

[ ](https://imgur.com/n7hLZfF)

"I'll have a whiskey sour, neat, and maybe a kiss from the bartender?" Rey leaned onto the bar the next afternoon, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Clyde.

"I think Carrie Jo's married ‘n straight, but I can ask her if she'd like ta lay one on ya," Clyde deadpanned, his brown eyes sparkling in return as he gave Rey a half-smile.

Rey threw her head back and laughed as Clyde made her drink, winking at him as he slid it across the bar top to her. “How about a kiss from the bar _owner_ , then?”

“Oh, I dunno ‘bout that… what if someone sees us? It’d be all over the county, ‘n the good ladies at tha Baptist church will have some serious words ta say ‘bout it. We’d be upsettin’ their delicate sensibilities, ya see...” Clyde stopped speaking as Rey came around the bar, grabbed his shirt, and pulled him to her for a sweet, soft kiss.

“Fuck their sensibilities. I’m not from around here.”

Clyde brought his prosthetic hand up, clutching at a fake pearl necklace. “Dr. Sands, surely ya know it’s not proper ta be kissin’ a man in a bar ya just met a few days ago! It’s scandalous, is what it is!” Clyde grinned at Rey.

“Let them talk,” Rey grinned back at Clyde before giving him another soft kiss and heading back around the bar.

Clyde’s face was red as he went back to taking care of stocking the beer fridge. Rey watched him, a smile on her lips while she enjoyed her drink.

A noise behind him caused him to look up, and he smiled at Carrie Jo as she looked down at him. She was his best employee, and the only person outside of family Clyde trusted in control of his bar.

“Ya can skedaddle fer the day, Clyde. Mellie asked me ta fill on the closin’ shift fer the resta the week, so ya can be available fer weddin’ things.”

Clyde raised an eyebrow at Carrie Jo. He stood, glancing over at Rey, who was grinning from ear to ear, and not bothering to hide it. “Alrighty then. Thanks, Carrie Jo. Got a feelin’ my sister is up ta no good again.”

Carrie Jo just smiled in return before leaning in and whispering, “By the way that gal at the bar is lookin’ atcha, Bossman, I wouldn’t say Mellie’s up ta no good - looks like a pretty good deal ta me. Now get outta here before I have ole Earl try n’ remove ya physically.” She patted him on his upper arm, and Clyde nodded, swinging his eyes back to Rey. 

Swallowing hard, he went around the bar to stand beside her, his good hand going up to rub the back of his neck as his face turned red. “So, looks like I got tha rest of the week cleared up ‘n all. Would ya like ta maybe spend the afternoon ‘n evenin’ with me, Rey?”

“I would love that, Clyde.”

….

They had decided to keep it simple. Clyde was going to make them dinner, and then they would go out for ice cream afterwards. During the drive to his house, Rey found she couldn’t stop smiling at the way he kept glancing over at her as he drove — trying not to be obvious.

“You can look at me, you know,” she finally said, giggling at having caught him at his game.

“Oh, uh… sorry. Yer so pretty, I gotta keep remindin’ myself yer sittin’ there ‘n I ain’t dreamin’.” Clyde was blushing furiously now, and Rey was positive the tips of his ears had to be bright red. Reaching over, she swiped her fingers through his hair, tucking it behind the ear closest to her.

_Yep._

Thesis proven, she grinned at Clyde. “I love your ears. They are precious.” Rey let out another giggle when that made them redden further, the blush spreading to his cheeks, as well. “I love when you blush, too. You’re simply adorable, you know that?”

He didn’t say anything, trying to concentrate on driving so he wouldn’t look at Rey and embarrass himself further. They pulled into his driveway, and when Clyde opened the door for her, he found himself being pulled gently towards Rey, her lips meeting his in a kiss that he could only describe as heated.

Finally, she pulled away, smiling at him. “I have been wanting to do that all afternoon.”

Clyde smirked at her before drawling, “As I recall, ya were kissin’ me this afternoon in my bar. Remember bein’ scandalous?”

“I do. Let’s go be scandalous inside, what do you say?” Rey winked at him, and Clyde thought he felt his heart stop in his chest. It only started back up when she reached out and took his hand to lean in for another soft kiss.

….

Listening to Rey moan over food was… an experience. Clyde would feed her whatever she wanted for the rest of her life, especially if she always made noises like the ones that had him shifting in his seat now. He had made fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy for dinner, and was trying not to blush at Rey’s reaction as they ate.

“Clyde, this is so delicious. Sylvia never told me you were such a good cook.” Rey looked up, a chicken drumstick hanging out of her mouth, and Clyde chuckled at the sight.

“Lord, yer beautiful.” Clyde smiled at her as she went back to eating. “I mean it, darlin’. Yer like some Da Vinci paintin’ or somethin’.”

Rey swallowed her bite of food before asking, “Did you just compare me to the _Mona Lisa_?”

Clyde’s eyes met hers, sparkling with feeling as he shook his head gently. “Nah. I was wrong about that. Yer far more beautiful.”

Rey felt her face coloring as she looked down at her food. She wasn’t used to being complimented in such a way, and the look in Clyde’s eyes — the raw emotion within them — had her heart threatening to beat out of her chest.

Somehow, they made it through dinner, the conversation starting to come easily after that intense moment.

_I could fall in love with him,_ Rey thought later as they drove to the small, family-owned ice cream stand. Clyde opened the passenger door for her, as he always did, and Rey grabbed his hand while they walked up to the stand. Her fingers weaving through his as if they were made for it.

They waited in line behind a young couple that were clearly in love by the way the man held her , and Rey felt a pang in her heart at the sight. She realized she wanted what they had, and she wanted it with the man beside her. She knew she should be questioning herself — it was far too soon to be considering such things with a man she hadn’t even known a week — but it felt right deep down inside.

Rey leaned her head against his shoulder, and Clyde smiled down at her. He knew that whatever was going on between them couldn’t last. Not only did she have to go back to her busy life in Chicago, but he was all too aware that he wouldn’t fit into her life after that. She was a doctor in a busy hospital, from what she had told him, and that hospital happened to be five hundred miles away from Boone County.

As they made it to the front of the line, Rey sighed, peeking at the young couple once more when the man handed his sweetheart a twist cone. He laughed while he watched her take a lick, getting ice cream on her face, and leaning down to kiss her clean. Clyde gently drew Rey’s attention back from the sweet scene when he pulled her forward with him, and she managed to find her smile again.

Clyde guided her back to his car, their sundaes in-hand, and Rey gasped when she saw the fireflies twinkling in the still warm night air. 

“Whatcha lookin’ at?” Clyde asked, concern in his voice as he looked off in the same direction Rey was. He found nothing but a mostly empty parking lot and a field of hay, the river winding behind it all.

“You have glow-worms here! I haven’t seen them since I was a child back home in London. The orphanage I lived in sometimes took us out to the countryside on a retreat, and we got to see them. They’re fascinating little things!” Rey looked up at Clyde, grinning widely.

“They ain’t worms, darlin’. They’re fireflies, or some folks call ‘em lightnin’ bugs. Beetles, really. They ain’t even flies. Ya see, the ones blinkin’ are females, tryin’ ta get a mate. Thing is, some of ‘em mimic other species in the pattern they flash, and once they get their man, they kill ‘em.” 

Rey looked up at him, grinning and letting out a laugh. “Look at you, Clyde Logan, surprising me with your firefly knowledge. Just how do you know all that?”

Clyde shrugged, face coloring as he mumbled, “I read a lot. I like learnin’ ‘bout things.”

“I do, as well,” Rey remarked, reaching up to tuck his hair behind his ear again admiringly. She had a thing for his ears, and had definitely thought on more than one occasion about reaching up and licking the edge of one. There was just something adorable about them, and it added to the attractiveness of the man as a whole.

Clyde stilled when Rey exposed his ear, looking over at her as she let the tips of her fingers trail over the sensitive skin. “I love your ears,” Rey told him gently, smiling as she leaned up to place a kiss on the crimson lobe.

“Ya do?” He breathed out a little raggedly, trying to quell his racing heart and the growing pressure at the front of his jeans. It would do him no good to get excited. Rey was a lady, and his Momma had raised him to be a gentleman. Still, the feel of her lips on his ear, and then his cheek a moment later was causing his body to react on pure instinct.

_She’s leaving after the wedding, Logan. Don’t get attached._

Rey could feel the moment Clyde distanced himself. His posture stiffened, eyes going carefully blank as she pulled away to look at him. Smiling to try and reassure him, she set to work eating her sundae before it completely melted in the evening heat. 

They made their way back to his car, leaning side by side against the hood as they enjoyed their ice cream.Finally, after mulling it over and opening his mouth several times to speak only to close it again, Clyde got out what was on his mind.

“I, um… I was wonderin’ if ya might wanna spend the day with me tomorrow? Sylvie told me y’all ain’t gonna be at the urgent care, ‘n there was nothin’ ta do fer the weddin’. I was…” Clyde gulped and ran his flesh and blood hand through his hair.“I could pick ya up around eight-thirty or so, and… well, would ya?” Clyde couldn’t look at her, instead staring at the now-empty sundae container carefully perched in his mechanical hand.

“Clyde…” Rey said softly, and when he didn’t look up she reached out, gripping his chin gently with her hand and forcing him to raise his head so their eyes met. “Do you think I kiss men I don’t like and aren’t interested in?”

“No, I don’t,” Clyde replied without hesitation, his eyes sad as they looked into hers.

“And I have kissed you quite thoroughly, heaven’t I?” Rey asked, cupping his cheek now and letting her thumb trace the skin there.

One corner of his lips pulled upwards, and he said, “That ya have. I just… this seems like a dream ta me, and I know yer gonna hafta go back home, and I… I just know yer like an angel, and I surely don’t deserve ya.”

“Oh, Clyde.” Rey said softly before leaning in and kissing him gently. “Yes, I’d love to spend the day with you,” Rey said, her lips still on his before she finally pulled away.

“Ya will?” Clyde asked, a full smile spreading across his face, his cheeks still tinged pink with embarrassment.

“I will. I can’t wait to see what you have planned for us.”

….

_Clyde Logan is downright cute_ , Rey decided as she watched him from the passenger’s seat of his car the following morning. They had finished a hearty breakfast at a tiny, homey diner in Danville, and he had stayed mum about their next destination, even when she had pouted and begged him to tell her. She had graciously let him kiss the moue off her lips, however, which then turned into even more kisses in the front seat of his car. She was certain the proprietor of the diner had been about to call the cops on them by the time they broke apart for some much-needed oxygen and set off on their way.

Finally, they pulled into the gravel parking lot of a small roadside gift shop. It was painted red with yellow trim, and above the entrance was a large gorilla statue. A Volkswagen Beetle appeared to have crashed into the side of the colorfully painted building, and left as an odd sort of decoration. A sign nestled next to the bizarre building declared this to be ‘The Mystery Hole’. 

Rey looked at Clyde, arching a brow as he let a wide grin stretch across his face.Without a word, he climbed out of the car and came around to perform his gentlemanly ritual for her. Rey gave him a smile in return as she got out, standing beside him and looking around.

“What, pray tell, is a _mystery hole_ , Clyde?” Rey reached out and took his hand, twining her fingers through his as they walked towards a fence that went around the small plot of land housing the attraction.

“Ye’ll see. Listen here, this place is a hidden gem of West Virginia! What ye’ll see inside will amaze ya! We used ta come here with my folks as youngin’s. What I really wanted ta show ya, though, was right here.” Clyde had guided them over to the fence, and Rey looked over it. She gasped as she took in the spectacular view of the river below them, winding through a forested gorge.

“Oh Clyde, this view is fantastic!” Rey murmured, looking up at him, her eyes wide with wonder at the sight before them.

“Oh, I dunno. Think I seen somethin’ far more beautiful here recently,” he said, his slow drawl causing delicious tendrils of energy to course through her veins, curling deep in the pit of her stomach.

“Do you now, Mr. Logan?” Rey asked with a smirk, turning to face. “Care to elaborate?”

“I do,” Clyde replied, leaning in and placing a sweet kiss on her lips. “Yer by far tha most beautiful thing I ever laid eyes on, Rey.” 

Straightening, he gave her one of his rare smiles that made her heart squeeze in her chest.Rey smiled up at him for that before looking back over at the extraordinary view. After a few more moments, she turned back in excitement. “So… shall we go see what this mystery hole is all about? I have to admit, I am curious!”

“After you, darlin’,” Clyde remarked, sweeping his prosthetic hand towards the building. Rey grabbed his other hand, humming happily as they made their way towards the entrance. After Clyde paid their admittance fee, they were given a guided tour with three others, and Rey found herself wanting to giggle.

It was a touristy, kitschy place — the tricks easily explained away by simple science — but Rey enjoyed every moment of it. Admittedly, though, it probably had more to do with the man holding her hand the entire tour than the marvels their guide expounded upon. She could feel Clyde’s eyes on her the whole time, and she’d be stupid not to admit to herself just how much she liked it.

They exited the building, and Clyde insisted on buying her a souvenir at the gift shop. Rey whimsically picked out a shot glass and a shirt, and Clyde grinned while he paid for them.

Once they’d settled back in his car, Rey looked at him with a bright smile, commenting, “You know that’s all done with clever building, right?”

Clyde’s eyes widened in mock shock as he said, “Now, darlin’, that there is one of our most treasured attractions here in West Virginia! It defies gravity, ya see! My Daddy always told us that it’s all tha coal dust down underneath there muckin’ up tha gravity. We believed him ‘til we got old enough ta figger it out ourselves, but it’s still pretty fun ta take new people ta see.”

Rey let out another laugh, throwing her head back as Clyde pulled out of the parking lot and onto the highway. He glanced over at her, a small smirk spreading across his lips until the realization that he wouldn’t hear that laugh again in another week or so pulled it off his face in an instant.

He would simply have to nurse his broken heart with a good book on his back porch, and maybe that bottle of whiskey he had in the top cabinet of his kitchen. He sighed, trying to bring himself back to the here and now where Rey was sitting beside him, looking as beautiful as an angel, and was all his for the day.

_But I want her forever, not just for a day or a week…_

Sometimes Clyde hated the fact that he was a thinker. He should be enjoying the time he had with Rey, instead of ruminating over how devastated he would be when it was over. He knew he was in love with her. In fact, he fell more and more in love every second he spent with her.

The fact of the matter was, though, his place was in Boone County, behind the bar at the Duck Tape. He was a simple man from a simple place, and Rey? Well, Rey was a brilliant star that belonged in the city among the other bright lights, in the busy emergency room where she saved lives and made a difference.

Rey noticed that Clyde had gone quiet, and her heart ached for a moment as she wondered what was on his mind that made him so sad. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she scooted across the vinyl-covered seat, laying her head on his shoulder.

“What’s wrong, Clyde?” Rey asked softly, her thigh pressing against his as they flew down the road at a speed she probably didn’t want to think about.

“I…” he heaved out a sigh, his bottom jaw working while he tried to work out what he wanted to say in his head. “Yer just gorgeous, ‘n I’m already thinkin’ how I’m gonna miss ya somethin’ fierce when ya gotta go home. I know I’m bein’ foolish ‘n all.”

Rey smiled and leaned up to kiss his cheek, letting out a soft laugh at the color spreading over his face. “What if I told you I was feeling the same way? I’m going to miss you, too, Clyde. Let’s just spend as much time as we can together while we have it. Deal?”

“That’s a deal I feel comfortable in takin’, darlin’.” Clyde turned into another parking lot, letting a smile drift onto his face again. “I hope ya wore some comfortable shoes like I told ya too. We got some walkin’ ta do.”

“I just happen to have some trainers in my bag, just because some sweet, handsome man told me to pack comfortable shoes, yes.” She reached up to pull his face to hers, kissing him again, her heart threatening to break through her body and fly away.

Clyde made her feel like no one else ever had. She was falling hard for him, and it was disconcerting, but exhilarating all at once. Rey knew she should pull back from him and examine her feelings. She was an analytical person by nature, which made it easy for her to be objective as a doctor.Walking away from Clyde Logan and the way he made her feel would be painful, she was honest enough to admit to herself, and Rey had had far too much of that in her life already. 

Clyde opening her door drew Rey back from her musings. She looked up at him, his long hair blowing slightly in the warm West Virginia breeze. He held his hand out, and Rey grabbed it, exiting the car and standing at his side, which felt so natural.

  
_Maybe some people are worth a broken heart, though,_ she thought, unable to hold onto the gloom when Clyde’s big hand cradled hers as though it was a fine treasure that far out-valued any other wonder today had held.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! 
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr:[my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)


	4. Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He could watch her for hours, just basking in her brilliant light, perfectly content and happy. He was so in love with her that Clyde wasn’t sure just how he was going to handle it when she left. Maybe it was just the excitement of new and reciprocated feelings, and it would fade the longer he went without seeing her.
> 
> Watching her look downstream as though she could peer past the horizon to find the end of the coursing river, Clyde knew it wouldn’t be so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes yes, another chapter!!! Enjoy!
> 
> Thanks to my beta for the edits and the gorgeous moodboard! Please, check out [LadyRhi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyRhi) 's works! You won't be disappointed!

[ ](https://imgur.com/99gyEWv)

“So, what’s the plan, big guy?” Rey asked Clyde, looking at the forest around them. It was so serene out here, and she allowed the wind blowing through the trees to carry away her gloomy thoughts. She was determined to enjoy every moment she had with this man, and the knowledge that their time was limited wasn’t going to spoil the memories she wanted to be able to look back at in the weeks to come with a smile.

“Well, I cooked up a big picnic lunch fer us, but first, I thought we could take a little walk. Then there’re these aerial trams that go over the river ‘n gorge. The view is real pretty-like. I figger the walk will have us both good ‘n hungry, so we can come back here ‘n find a spot ta have a picnic. Sound good?”

“It does,” Rey replied, threading her fingers through his as Clyde turned, leading them onto a dirt path through the woods. They wandered through the forest, chatting while Clyde pointed out different plants or trees. At one point, he even stopped and bent down, straightening an instant later with some dark purple berries in his hand, offering them tot Rey.

“Ya ever had huckleberries before?” Clyde asked. Rey’s heart stopped beating momentarily as he brought his fingers up, a plump berry touching her lips. She opened them to accept the treat, gently sucking at his skin before he withdrew a little shakily. They were tart, almost like blueberries, and Rey smiled at Clyde before stepping closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Those taste good, but I have a confession to make,” Rey said huskily, looking into his eyes. “I’d rather be tasting your lips.” She let one hand drift up into his hair while easing her body close against his large frame. “I’ve never been kissed by anyone the way you kiss me, Clyde. No one has ever looked at me like you do.”

He didn’t say anything, just dipped his head down to let their lips meet in a lingering kiss that seemed to last forever, and tasted sweeter than any berry. Far too soon for either of them, he pulled away, feeling a bit breathless as his heart thundered in his chest like a herd of stallions.

“Wow,” Rey murmured. Her heart was racing in her chest, and she felt as light as the leaves floating slowly down from the vast heights to nestle together on the forest floor below. If she hadn’t been in Clyde’s arms, Rey wasn’t certain that she wouldn’t drift off in the breeze, as well.

“Yeah,” he remarked before placing a kiss to her forehead, as though he just couldn’t stop himself. “We should get hikin’ again, or we’ll miss the next tram.” 

Clyde turned and started down the trail, mentally chastising himself for the way his body and heart were reacting to the warmth of Rey’s mouth. Every time they kissed, Clyde wanted more from her, and he didn’t dare think about taking her to his bed, knowing she was going to be leaving in a week.

No, if he ever got the chance to spend the night with Rey beside him, it would be because they were a true couple. His heart wouldn’t be able to handle it any other way. 

When he was younger, before his  _ injury _ happened, Clyde Logan had been a different man. If a pretty girl wanted to rock his world for a night or three, he had been more than willing to oblige.Now that he was back home, forever changed, he had different wants and needs. He longed to find the right gal and settle down with her forever. The thing was that Rey  _ was  _ that girl, and Clyde knew he wouldn’t find another who would capture his heart like she had. His Momma had always told him that if you loved something, you had to set it free, and that if it came back to you, it was meant to be yours.

He was gonna have to set Rey free and let her live her life, and hope she’d come back to him one day.

Rey watched Clyde turn and walk away, a shadow falling over his face. She couldn’t bear to see him like that, and hurried to catch up to him, reclaiming his hand in hers. They walked along in silence for a while, and Rey kept glancing at him, wondering what was going through his head.

“Clyde?” she asked, her voice halting his steps. He turned to look down at her with sad eyes.Rey’s heart dropped in her chest at the sight of tears starting to pool in his eyes, even though she was certain he was trying his hardest to hold them back. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked softly, one hand coming up to rest on his cheek as she stepped closer.

“Shit,” Clyde said, his gaze going to the ground. He kicked at the dirt for a moment, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he fought to control his emotions. “I… aw hell, Rey, I’m ruinin’ everythin’ by lettin’ my feelin’s for ya get so strong. Not like ya ain’t leavin’ in a week, so I know I can’t expect somethin’ more than what we got. But damn if I don’t find myself wishin’ ya’d just stay here forever.”

“Oh,” Rey whispered. Slipping her finger beneath his chin, she drew those warm eyes back up so she could look at him for a moment before leaning in and kissing him again. There was a wealth of understanding in that caress — and acknowledgement. A knowing light remained in her own gaze as she pulled back after a little while.

“Let’s get moving, okay? I can’t wait to see what else you have planned for us today.” Rey gave him a sad smile, knowing all too well that his words were true. Whatever was happening between them was strong, yet Rey knew it couldn’t be more than a two-week romance. At the end of it, she would go back to her life in Chicago, and Clyde would stay here to run his bar.

_ And the story will end. _

Sure, she could fly down for visits, or Clyde could come to the city. What kind of relationship would it be, however? Would she want a boyfriend she could only see with any regularity through video chats?

Rey sighed, reaching over to grab Clyde’s hand again, feeling slightly more at ease just by touching him. She squeezed his fingers, and when he looked over at her, she gave him the brightest smile she had in her, relieved when one corner of his mouth lifted up in answer.

The path opened up to a clearing with a wooden building ahead, and they made their way towards it. Rey smiled as she caught sight of the aerial tram cars, which would no doubt afford them a breathtaking view.

While they waited to board their car, her hand still firmly twined in his, Rey pulled out her phone, grinning at Clyde as she tugged him down so his head was level with hers. “Your arms are longer, can you take a picture of us?” She giggled when Clyde pulled his hand from hers to fumble with the camera, finally managing to get it at the right angle to take several pictures of them — the last one of her kissing his cheek.

The car attendant cleared her throat, causing both of them to redden guiltily, and when she shuffled them onto their waiting car, Rey slid across the seat to be as close to Clyde as she could. Her gaze was drawn to the beauty below her, though, when the car began it’s slow trip across the New River Gorge. 

Clyde’s eyes were on Rey as she watched the scenery, squeezing his hand at times, and pointing at the view below. He smiled at her, even though his heart was still aching. She persuaded him to take several more selfies. 

As they rolled slowly over the gorge, the river rushing along below them, Rey determined to dispel that lingering glimmer of pain reflected in the camera’s lens. She grabbed Clyde’s shirt and pulled him towards her, their lips meeting in another mind-blowing kiss.She pulled away after a few moments, and looked deeply into Clyde’s eyes, both of them panting.

“I want to kiss you like that as much as I can, Clyde Logan. Understand?”

Clyde nodded wordlessly, smiling when Rey handed him her camera once more, and as he positioned it, she pulled him in for another kiss. “This is my favorite picture so far,” she remarked when she saw the result, showing Clyde the picture of them liplocked and red-faced.

“Mine, too,” Clyde agreed, his face turning even redder now. He let out a chuckle as Rey laughed, moving closer against his side.

Her eyes went back to the view below them, deciding she would take her two-week romance and run with it. Clyde was a thinker, just like she was, and she knew he was overanalyzing every last detail of whatever was happening between them.She would just have to make him focus on something else. Kissing was the distraction of choice, in her considered opinion. Rey had found that kissing Clyde Logan was like finding a priceless relic buried in the dirt. It may look rough around the edges, but there was a beauty underneath that was well worth the effort of digging down to find it.

The sadness faded away as the tram continued along, and Clyde pointed to things she may not have noticed. There were a doe and her fawns, a beaver dam, and a couple sunbathing behind their tent in a small clearing. As they neared their journey’s end, Rey turned and kissed him yet again, her tongue teasing at the seam of his lips until he allowed her entrance into the warmth of his mouth.

The car came to a stop, and they were forced to break apart, coming face-to-face with a grinning teenager opening the door to their car.Rey put up a hand to stifle a giggle while Clyde’s face turned bright red. As they disembarked into the same wooden building they had entered on, Rey’s fingers remained firmly locked in his. 

“C’mon,” Clyde said, “Let’s go on down ta the river, ‘n get our feet wet. Whatcha think?” He let another grin cross his face, enchanted when Rey let out one of her magical laughs. The sound made his heart swell in his chest, and he wanted to listen to every day for the rest of his life.

They kept their hands clasped together as they walked to the banks of the New River. Rey slid out of her flats and stuck her toes in the water, Clyde steadying her as he just watched her face, a small smile playing on his. 

He could watch her for hours, just basking in her brilliant light, perfectly content and happy. He was so in love with her that Clyde wasn’t sure just how he was going to handle it when she left. Maybe it was just the excitement of new and reciprocated feelings, and it would fade the longer he went without seeing her.

Watching her look downstream as though she could peer past the horizon to find the end of the coursing river, Clyde knew it wouldn’t be so.

No, this love was something that wasn’t just going to fade away. Nothing had ever been more clear in his life. His heart might shatter when she left, and even though he knew he could pick up the pieces and patch it haphazardly back together, no one else would ever be able to heal it completely.

She was worth the heartache, Clyde decided as she turned and looked up at him, beaming. The sun was shining just so on her face, making her skin glow, and he thought once more that she looked just like an angel sent down from high.

Rey crooked her finger at him, and he couldn’t resist her siren’s spell, moving until he stood in the water at her side. 

“Thank you for bringing me here. It’s so beautiful,” she remarked before standing on tiptoes to kiss him. There had been so many that day, but each felt as fresh and new as the first time her lips had brushed along his.

“Yer welcome,” Clyde said after they had parted. “Are ya hungry? We can start back ta the car if ya are.”

“I am, yes,” Rey said, giving him a playful wink, and Clyde’s face colored once more. Clearly, she wasn’t talking about food, given the seductive smirk she had on her face. “C’mon, big guy. I have a…  _ craving _ .” 

Rey grabbed his hand and tugged on it. They made their way back to the river bank, and after she had put her shoes back on, Clyde trying to shake the water from his with some consternation, they headed off to find a wooded trail that would take them back to the car.

As they walked, he started pointing out things to her that she’d never have noticed on her own, again. Living in the city her entire life had given her a completely different way of looking at things than Clyde did, and she found his slower, more thoughtful approach to life refreshing.

They reached his car after a long trek, and Rey watched as he unloaded a large picnic basket and a small cooler from the trunk. “Can I help with something?” she asked, and Clyde smiled gratefully at her.

“Can ya grab that picnic blanket from tha trunk? Then we should be all set.” Clyde waited while she grabbed the red and white checkered blanket and came to stand beside him. Smiling at her, he started walking, the picnic basket clasped in his prosthetic hand, and the cooler thumping along behind him on its wheels as they walked.

Clyde already had a spot picked out for them, a small copse of trees he knew which would afford them a spectacular view of the river and privacy from the other park-goers. When they reached the spot and the gorge spread out before them in a glorious panorama, Rey caught her breath, setting to work laying out the blanket for them. She sat down, grinning up at Clyde as he settled herself on the blanket beside her, the cooler and picnic basket within easy reach.

“So, Mr. Logan, what’s for lunch?” Clyde’s breath was stolen from him as Rey graced him with another of her brilliant smiles. If she didn’t stop looking at him like that, Clyde mused, he would probably die from a heart attack. 

“I made us some fried chicken ‘n potato salad. Momma’s recipes, so ya know it’s good. I also picked up some cheesecake for dessert. I ain’t much of a baker, I’ll admit.” Clyde’s voice stuttered to a halt when Rey scooted closer to him, using one arm looped around his neck to pull his face to hers in a move he didn’t think he’d ever grow tired of. 

Their kiss was sweet at first ... until Rey climbed into his lap. 

She straddled his thighs as she deepened their kiss. Her hands went into his hair as he kissed her back with wild abandon, choosing to let himself go and be with her in this moment. His flesh and blood hand reached up to bury itself in her hair, mesmerized by its silkiness.

Rey licked at the seam of his lips until Clyde allowed her entrance, the sweet ache at her center building with every slow swipe of his tongue against hers. She pulled herself more snugly against him, letting out a small moan as she felt his hard length brush against her, sending a frisson of delicious anticipation along her nerves.

Clyde’s mouth wandered, trailing along her cheek and down her neck, nipping at the curve where her neck met her shoulder. Rey let out a gasp, her nipples hard pebbles inside her lacy bra. She moved her hips, grinding against him and relishing the delicious friction their clothing created against her soaked core.

“Clyde,” Rey let his name escape her lips in a low, throaty whisper, and his hand moved from her hair down to her hip, holding her tightly to him.

“I gotcha, darlin’, just let go,” he breathed against the skin he’d worshipped to a rosy flush.

Rey leaned forward, dragging him back up so she could press her lips to his again as she rolled her hips against his over and over, letting the feeling build within her until it crescendoed. A beautiful cacophony of feeling crashed over her suddenly like the final movement of a symphony.

She fell into Clyde’s arms, panting, and he held her, his eyes closed as he reveled in the feeling of her in his arms. He had taken care of her in the most intimate way, and it was sublime. Having her like this, utterly blissed out in his arms, made Clyde want to sigh with happiness. The only thing that would make this better is if they were in his bed, skin against skin after he had finished inside her. As it was, he would be very achy the rest of their date - but to see the look on her face was all he needed.

“Thank you,” Rey whispered, and Clyde smiled before kissing the top of her head rapturously.

“Ya ready ta eat lunch now?” Clyde murmured after a little bit, and Rey nodded drowsily against his shoulder.

“Mm-hmm.” Rey pulled away and settled back into her spot next to him, and Clyde mourned the feeling of her in his arms briefly.

They ate lunch, and after Rey declared herself full, Clyde packed everything away. Rey lay back on the blanket, and patted the fabric beside her. He unfolded himself onto the blanket, and she cuddled herself in close to him, her head resting on his chest while they talked about anything that came to their minds. 

Clyde glanced down when her voice trailed off mid-sentence, letting out a small chuckle at the sight of her sound asleep in his arms.He let her sleep for an hour before shaking her awake gently, his heart swelling at the sight of her sleepy eyes looking up at him as she woke. 

“Hi,” she whispered croakily with sleep.

“Welcome back, darlin’. Ya ready ta take a walk? There’s a museum here, and then I figgered we could get some dinner later on.”

Rey nodded, beaming at him while she sat up. “Can I make a request for dinner?” she asked as she gathered up the blanket, folding it into a neat square while Clyde secured the picnic basket and cooler for their trip back to the car.

“Of course ya can,” Clyde replied, his eyes meeting hers.

“Well,” Rey replied, tucking some stray hair behind one ear, “There’s still plenty of chicken and salad left, isn’t there?”

“There is,” Clyde said, his brow wrinkling in confusion.

“Well,” Rey replied, a smirk coming to her lips, “How about we go back to your place for dinner? That way we can eat those leftovers, and, well ... I’d love to be your dessert.” 

Rey bit her bottom lip nervously as she watched Clyde’s face turn bright red, the tips of his ears looking like they could start a fire all on their own.

Clyde’s internal gears were whirring as he contemplated just what his sweet Rey was suggesting. He would love to be intimate with her in his bed, and to hold her all night long - but at what cost to both of them? Rey had made her decision, obviously. She wanted to be with him, even if they weren’t a couple yet. After another moment of silent contemplation, Clyde answered her. “I reckon I’d like that just fine,” he finally muttered, his face still red as he finally looked into her eyes. “I’d like it a lot, if I’m honest.”

“Well then, let’s get going. We have a museum to tour, and then I am sure I will be  _ starving _ again.” she told him sultrily, something like a promise he desperately wanted to hold on to shining out from the depths of her hazel eyes.

Clyde’s face turned red again, and as he started to trudge towards the car, Rey watched him walk away, a smirk on her face. She pulled out her phone to text Sylvia...

> _ <To: Sylvie> Don’t wait up for me. I’m spending the night at Clyde’s. _

Her phone pinged a few seconds later, and...

> _ <From: Sylvie> FINALLY. It took him long enough to take those hints, didn’t it? _

Rey simply responded with a smile emoji, her thoughts already on the night ahead of them.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! 
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr:[my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife)
> 
> May The Force Be With You!

**Author's Note:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! 
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr:[my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)


End file.
